Weapons stolen from Australian navy patrol boat

The Australian Department of Defence said the infiltrator “overwhelmed a duty member on-board a patrol boat” which was moored at HMAS Coonawarra, a naval base in the northern city of Darwin in a night raid.

“The intruder overpowered the duty member, accessed the vessel’s armoury and removed a number of weapons,” it said in a statement.

“The person then departed the vessel with the weapons.”

Police said two pump-action shotguns and 12 pistols were stolen by the intruder, who was wearing a balaclava and military-style clothing and who they said “appeared to have good knowledge of the vessel”.